Method and device for outputting an image

ABSTRACT

In order to output an image to a user, an electronic device may include loading a plurality of basic image tiles with a first resolution, the plurality of basic image tiles being preset for a graphic space set based on a virtual coordinate system, determining a target basic-image tile among the plurality of basic image tiles based on a coordinate of a virtual camera set on the virtual coordinate system, transmitting information on a target basic-image tile to a server, receiving a plurality of detailed image tiles with a second resolution corresponding to the target basic-image tile from the server, and outputting an image with the second resolution based on the plurality of detailed image tiles when the virtual camera zooms in on the target basic-image tile.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 USC § 119(a) of KoreanPatent Application No. 10-2021-0152411, filed on Nov. 8, 2021, at theKorean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a technology for providing an image toa user, and, more particularly, to a device and a method for outputtingan image on the basis of a viewpoint of a virtual camera with respect toa graphic space.

This application is research (No. 2020-0-00994, development oftechnology for generating autonomous Virtual Reality (VR). and AugmentedReality (AR) content reflecting the use environment) conducted in 2021by the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning &Evaluation with funding from the Ministry of Science and ICT.

2. Description of the Related Art

The texture representation may be different according to imageresolutions in a virtual environment. It is desirable to provide a highresolution image to a user. However, if the high resolution image isprovided in all the directions of the virtual environment, the user maynot immediately receive the high resolution image as it takes longer totransmit due to the large amount of the data to be received from aserver connected to the user terminal. However, if a low resolutionimage is provided to the user, the user will not experience a vividimage.

SUMMARY

Example embodiments may provide a method and a device for quicklyproviding a high resolution image to a user.

According to an aspect, an image output method performed by anelectronic device may include loading a plurality of basic image tileswith a first resolution being preset for a graphic space set based on avirtual coordinate system, setting a coordinate of a virtual camera on avirtual coordinate system, determining at least one target basic-imagetile of the plurality of basic image tiles based on the coordinate ofthe virtual camera, transmitting information on the target basic-imagetile to a server, receiving a plurality of detailed image tiles with asecond resolution corresponding to the target basic-image tile from theserver, and outputting an image of the second resolution based on theplurality of detailed image tiles when the virtual camera zooms in onthe target basic-image tile.

The determining of the at least one target basic-image tile among theplurality of basic image tiles based on the coordinate of the virtualcamera may include determining a viewpoint of the virtual camera basedon the coordinate of the virtual camera, calculating frustum informationon the viewpoint of the virtual camera, and determining at least onetarget basic-image tile among the plurality of basic image tiles basedon the frustum information.

The image output method may further include outputting an image of thefirst resolution based on the frustum information and the targetbasic-image tile.

The determining of a viewpoint of the virtual camera based on thecoordinate of the virtual camera may include changing the coordinate ofthe virtual camera based on a user's input of the electronic device anddetermining a viewpoint of the virtual camera based on the changedcoordinate of the virtual camera.

When the virtual camera zooms in on the target basic-image tile, theimage output method may further include determining at least one targetdetailed-image tile among the plurality of detailed image tiles,transmitting information on the target detailed-image tile to theserver, and receiving a plurality of additional-detailed image tileswith a third resolution corresponding to the target detailed-image tilefrom the server.

When the virtual camera zooms in on the target detailed-image tile, theimage output method may further include outputting an image of the thirdresolution based on the plurality of additional-detailed image tiles.

When the coordinate or viewpoint of the virtual camera is changed, thedetermining of the at least one target basic-image tile among theplurality of basic image tiles based on the coordinate of the virtualcamera may include re-determining at least one target basic-image tileamong the plurality of basic image tiles based on the changed coordinateor viewpoint of the virtual camera.

The transmitting of the information on the target basic-image tile tothe server may include determining whether the plurality of detailedimage tiles with the second resolution corresponding to the targetbasic-image tile is stored and transmitting, to the server, informationon the target basic-image tile when the plurality of detailed imagetiles with the second resolution is not stored.

According to an example embodiment, an electronic device for performingthe image output method may include a memory in which an image outputprogram is recorded, and a processor for performing the program whereinthe program may include loading a plurality of basic image tiles with afirst resolution being preset for a graphic space set based on a virtualcoordinate system, setting a coordinate of the virtual camera on thevirtual coordinate system, determining at least one target basic-imagetile among the plurality of basic image tiles based on the coordinate ofthe virtual camera, transmitting information on the target basic-imagetile to a server, receiving a plurality of detailed image tiles with asecond resolution corresponding to the target basic-image tile from theserver, and outputting an image with the second resolution based on theplurality of detailed image tiles when the virtual camera zooms in onthe target basic-image tile.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the image outputmethod performed by a system outputting an image to a user may include:loading, by a user's terminal of the system, a plurality of basic imagetiles with a first resolution being preset for a graphic space set basedon a virtual coordinate system; setting, by the user's terminal, acoordinate of a virtual camera on the virtual coordinate system;determining, by the user's terminal, at least one target basic-imagetile among the plurality of basic image tiles based on the coordinate ofthe virtual camera; transmitting, by the user's terminal, information onthe target basic-image tile to the system server; receiving, by theuser's terminal, a plurality of detailed image tiles with a secondresolution corresponding to the target basic-image tile from the server;and outputting an image with the second resolution based on theplurality of detailed image tiles when the virtual camera zooms in onthe target basic-image tile.

Additional aspects of example embodiments will be set forth in part inthe description which follows, and, in part, will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the disclosure.

According to example embodiments, the present disclosure provides amethod and a device quickly delivering a high resolution image to auser.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a method of providing an image to a user based on agraphic space according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to anexample embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an image output method according to anembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates basic image tiles, detailed image tiles, andadditional-detailed image tiles according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of determining a targetbasic-image tile based on a viewpoint of a virtual camera according toan example embodiment;

FIG. 6 illustrates frustum information according to a viewpoint of avirtual camera according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of determining a viewpointof a virtual camera based on a user's input according to an exampleembodiment;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of outputting an image witha third resolution to a user based on additional-detailed image tilesaccording to an example embodiment; and

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of transmitting informationon a target basic-image tile according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, example embodiments of the present disclosure are to bedescribed in detail with reference to accompanying diagrams. However,the scope of the patent application is not limited or restricted tothese embodiments. The same reference numerals in the diagrams denotethe same elements.

Various changes may be made to the embodiments described herein. Itshould be noted that embodiments of the present disclosure are notlimited to the embodiments described herein but include allmodifications, equivalents, and alternatives thereto.

The terms used in the embodiments of the present disclosure are onlyused to describe a particular embodiment, but not to limit theembodiments. Singular representation includes a plurality of therepresentation unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It shouldbe understood that the terms “include”, “have”, or the like hereinspecify the existence of features, numbers, steps, operations,components, parts, or combinations thereof but do not preclude possiblepresence or addition of one or more features, numbers, steps,operations, components, components, or combinations thereof.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein including technical orscientific terms have the same meaning as commonly understood by aperson of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments belong.Terms such as those defined in a dictionary commonly used should beinterpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with the meaning ofthe relevant art. Unless explicitly defined in the present disclosure,terms should not be interpreted as an ideal or overly formal sense.

In addition, as described with reference to the accompanying diagrams,the same component in the drawings is denoted by the same referencenumeral, and thus duplicate descriptions thereof are omitted. Indescribing an embodiment of the present disclosure, a detaileddescription of relevant known technology is omitted when it may obscurethe subject matter of the embodiment.

FIG. 1 illustrates a method of providing an image to a user based on agraphical space according to an example embodiment.

An example embodiment may represent disposing a virtual camera 110corresponding to a user's viewpoint in a pre-generated graphic space 100(or a virtual space) for various purposes, and providing the user withan image 140 of a scene in the graphic space according to a viewpoint130 of the virtual camera 110. The user may enter the graphic space 100through an electronic device 10. For example, the user may receive thepre-generated graphic space 100 through a service for various purposessuch as games or travel.

According to an example embodiment, the service may be provided to theuser through a server (not shown) connected online to the electronicdevice 10. The graphic space 100 may be generated by a preset virtualcoordinate system.

For example, the virtual coordinate system may be a three-dimensionalcoordinate system represented by x, y and z axes, and the graphic space100 may be generated in a form of a hexahedron (e.g., a cube) based onthe three-dimensional coordinate system. The server may generate thegraphic space 100 based on pre-generated (or captured) one or moreimages. For example, one or more images previously generated may be apanoramic image capturing a scene of a reality. The panoramic image maybe divided into six portions and the graphic space 100 may be generatedbased on the divided portions. The panoramic image may be a high qualityimage.

As another example, the virtual coordinate system may be represented bythe spherical coordinate system, and the graphics space 100 may begenerated in a form of a sphere based on the spherical coordinatesystem. The virtual coordinate system and the graphic space 100 are notlimited to the embodiments described herein.

In order to implement the graphic space 100 as a high quality image inthe electronic device 10, the electronic device 10 may receive partialimages constituting the graphic space 100 from a server and reconstructthe graphic space 100 based on the partial images. The electronic device10 may set the virtual camera 110 in the graphic space 100 reconstructedin the electronic device 10, and, based thereon, provide the user withthe image 140 for the graphical space 100.

In order for the electronic device 10 to reconstruct the graphic space100, the electronic device 10 should receive partial images constitutingthe graphic space 100 from the server. However, when the electronicdevice 10 receives a high quality image, the amount of data received bythe electronic device 10 is large, which may cause a delay of imageoutput.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 9 , a method of outputting an image in thegraphic space 100 without delay is described in detail.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to anexample embodiment of the present disclosure.

An electronic device 200 may include a communication unit 210, aprocessor 220, and a memory 230. For instance, the electronic device 200may be the electronic device 10 described herein with reference to FIG.1 . The electronic device 10 may be a personal computer (PC), a mobiledevice, or a smart phone, but is not limited to the embodimentsdescribed herein.

The communication unit 210 is connected to the processor 220 and thememory 230 to transmit and receive data. The communication unit 210 maybe connected to an external device to transmit and receive data.Hereinafter, the expression “transmit and receive A” may indicatetransmitting and receiving information or data representing “A”.

The communication unit 210 may be embodied as circuitry in theelectronic device 200. For example, the communication unit 210 mayinclude an internal bus and an external bus. As another example, thecommunication unit 210 may be a component connecting the electronicdevice 200 and an external device. The communication unit 210 may be aninterface. The communication unit 210 may receive data from an externaldevice and transmit data to the processor 220 and the memory 230.

The processor 220 processes data received by the communication unit 210and data stored in the memory 230. The “processor” may be an dataprocessing device embodied as a hardware with circuitry of a physicalstructure for performing desired operations. For example, the desiredoperations may include code or instructions included in a program. Forexample, the data processing device embodied as a hardware may include amicroprocessor, a central processing unit, a processor core, amulti-core processor, a multiprocessor, an Application-SpecificIntegrated Circuit (ASIC), and a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).

The processor 220 performs code that may be readable by a computerstored in a memory (e.g., the memory 230), and instructions induced bythe processor 220.

The memory 230 stores the data received by the communication unit 210and the data processed by the processor 220. For example, the memory 230may store a program (or an application or software). The stored programmay be a set of syntax that may be coded to output an image to a userand be performed by the processor 220.

According to an aspect, the memory 230 may include one or more ofvolatile memories, non-volatile memories and Random Access Memories(RAM), flash memories, hard disk drives, and optical disk drives.

The memory 230 stores a set of instructions (e.g., software) thatoperates the electronic device 200. The set of instructions foroperating the electronic device 200 is performed by the processor 220.

The communication unit 210, the processor 220, and the memory 230 aredescribed in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 through 9 .

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an image output method according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

According to an embodiment, an image output system may include theelectronic device 200 and a server connected to the electronic device200 described above with reference to FIG. 2 .

Operations 310 through 370 below may be performed by the electronicdevice 200.

In operation 310, the electronic device 200 may load (or receive) aplurality of basic image tiles with a first resolution being preset fora graphic space set based on a virtual coordinate system. A graphicspace initially generated by a server may be composed of image tileswith a highest resolution (e.g., a third resolution herein), but thegraphic space initially reconstructed by the electronic device 200 maybe reconstructed based on the basic image tiles with a low resolution(e.g., a first resolution). The first resolution may be 512 pixels by512 pixels. The electronic device 200 may reduce delay time toreconstruct the graphic space by receiving the basic image tiles withthe low resolution from the server. The plurality of basic image tilesare described in detail hereinafter with reference to FIG. 4 .

In operation 320, the electronic device 200 may set a coordinate of avirtual camera on the virtual coordinate system. The virtual camera maycorrespond to a location of a user's eyes in the graphics space. Forexample, the coordinate of the virtual camera may be a preset defaultcoordinate. As another example, the coordinate of the virtual camera maybe adjusted based on a user's input.

In operation 330, the electronic device 200 may determine at least onetarget basic-image tile among the plurality of basic image tiles basedon the coordinate of the virtual camera. The target basic-image tile maybe a basic image tile corresponding to a direction at which a user islooking through the virtual camera. A method of determining the targetbasic-image tile is described in detail hereinafter with reference toFIGS. 5 through 7 .

In operation 340, the electronic device 200 may output an image with thefirst resolution based on frustum information of the virtual camera andthe target basic-image tile. The frustum information of the virtualcamera is described in detail with reference to FIG. 6 .

According to one aspect, the electronic device 200 may render a scene ofthe graphic space corresponding to a viewpoint of the virtual camera togenerate an image with the first resolution, and output the generatedimage to the user via a display of the electronic device 200.

In operation 350, the electronic device 200 may send information aboutthe target basic-image tile to the server. Since an image being outputis the first resolution, the user is likely to zoom in to view, indetail, the image at which the user is looking (or outputting). When theelectronic device 200 transmits information on the target basic-imagetile to the server after the user zooms in, a delay may occur until ahigh resolution image is displayed to the user. To prevent such a delay,the electronic device 200 may transmit information on the targetbasic-image tile to the server prior to the user zooming in, and receivedetailed image tiles with a second resolution corresponding to thetarget basic-image tile.

In operation 360, the electronic device 200 may receive the plurality ofdetailed image tiles with the second resolution corresponding to thetarget basic-image tile from the server. The second resolution may behigher than the first resolution.

In operation 370, when the virtual camera zooms in on the targetbasic-image tile, the electronic device 200 may output an image with thesecond resolution based on the plurality of detailed image tilespreviously received from the server.

According to one aspect, the electronic device 200 may render a graphicspace corresponding to the zoomed-in viewpoint of the virtual camera togenerate an image with the second resolution, and output the generatedimage to the user through a display of the electronic device 200. Sincethe image with the second resolution is generated and output based onthe plurality of detailed image tiles previously received before thevirtual camera zooms in, the delay in outputting an image experienced bythe user may be significantly reduced.

According to an embodiment, the user may change a coordinate or aviewpoint of the virtual camera while the image with the secondresolution is being output (i.e., zooming in). When a basic image tilecorresponding to the modified coordinate or viewpoint of the virtualcamera is different from the target basic-image tile determined inoperation 330, operation 340 may be performed again based on a newtarget basic-image tile. For example, when the basic image tile beingexamined changes while the image with second resolution is being output,the image with the first resolution may be output by zooming out. Unlikethe embodiment, when the coordinate or viewpoint of the camera partiallychanges but the basic image tile remains the same, the image with thesecond resolution may be continuously output. That is, the image withthe second resolution being output according to the changed coordinateor viewpoint of the virtual camera may be different from the imagebefore the coordinate or viewpoint of the camera changes, but theresolution may be the same.

FIG. 4 illustrates basic image tiles, detailed image tiles, andadditional-detailed image tiles according to an example embodiment.

An embodiment illustrates a plurality of basic image tiles 400constituting a portion of a graphic space reconstructed by an electronicdevice 200. For example, when the graphic space is in the form of acube, the plurality of basic image tiles 400 may constitute any side ofthe cube.

According to an example embodiment, a plurality of detailed image tiles410 corresponding to a first basic image tile 401 among the plurality ofbasic image tiles 400 may be saved in a server. The plurality ofdetailed image tiles 410 may include a first detailed image tile 411, asecond detailed image tile 412, a third detailed image tile 413, and afourth detailed image tile 414. Each of the plurality of detailed imagetiles 410 may have a second resolution.

For example, in operation 330 described herein with reference to FIG. 3, the electronic device 200 may send information about the first basicimage tile 401 as a target basic-image tile to the server, and theserver may send the plurality of detailed image tiles 410 correspondingto the first basic image tile 401 to the electronic device 200.

Additionally, according to one embodiment, a plurality ofadditional-detailed image tiles 420 corresponding to the first detailedimage tile 411 among the plurality of detailed image tiles 410 may besaved in the server. The plurality of additional-detailed image tiles420 may include a first additional-detailed image tile 421, a secondadditional-detailed image tile 422, a third additional-detailed imagetiles 423, and a fourth additional-detailed image tiles 424. Each of theplurality of additional-detailed image tiles 410 may have a thirdresolution. The third resolution may be higher than the secondresolution.

An embodiment where the server transmits the plurality ofadditional-detailed image tiles 420 to the electronic device 200 isdescribed in detail with reference to FIG. 8 herein.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method of determining a target basic-imagetile based on a viewpoint of a virtual camera according to an exampleembodiment.

According to one embodiment, operation 330 described herein withreference to FIG. 3 may include operations 510 through 530.

In operation 510, the electronic device 200 determines a viewpoint of avirtual camera in a virtual coordinate system of a graphic space basedon a coordinate of the virtual camera. The viewpoint of the virtualcamera may indicate a direction or an optical axis of the lens of thecamera based on the coordinate of the camera.

In operation 520, the electronic device 200 calculates frustuminformation for the viewpoint of the virtual camera. The frustum isdescribed in detail with reference to FIG. 6 .

In operation 530, the electronic device 200 may determine at least onetarget basic-image tile among a plurality of basic image tiles based onfrustum information. For example, a basic image tile corresponding to ascene of the graphic space captured by the virtual camera may bedetermined as the target basic-image tile.

FIG. 6 illustrates frustum information according to a viewpoint of avirtual camera according to an example embodiment.

A three-dimensional structure of a quadrangular pyramid 620 is definedbased on a coordinate of a virtual camera 610 set within a virtualcoordinate system of a graphic space. A first plane 630 and a secondplane 640 may be set inside the three-dimensional structure of thequadrangular pyramid for an image of the coordinate 610. Based on thefirst plane 630 and the second plane 640, a frustum 650 is generated.

According to one embodiment, at least one of the first plane 630 and thesecond plane 640 may be set based on internal parameters such as a focallength of a lens of the virtual camera, which is not limited to thedescribed embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method of determining a viewpoint of avirtual camera based on a user's input according to an exampleembodiment.

According to one embodiment, operation 510 described herein withreference to FIG. 5 may include operations 710 and 720.

In operation 710, the electronic device 200 may change a coordinate ofthe virtual camera based on a user's input. For example, the user mayenter a command for changing a viewpoint or a coordinate of the virtualcamera using a user interface of the electronic device 200. The userinterface may include a gyro sensor, a keyboard, a mouse, and/or a touchpanel, but is not limited thereto.

In operation 720, the electronic device 200 may determine a viewpoint ofthe virtual camera based on the changed coordinate of the virtualcamera.

According to an embodiment, when operation 720 is performed, at leastone target basic-image tile among a plurality of basic image tiles maybe re-determined based on the changed coordinate or viewpoint of thevirtual camera through operations 520 and 530.

According to an example embodiment, an image with a first resolution tobe provided to the user may be rendered again as a viewpoint of thevirtual camera changes based on the user's input.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method of outputting an image with a thirdresolution to a user based on additional-detailed image tiles accordingto an example embodiment.

According to an embodiment, operations 810 through 840 may be furtherperformed following operation 360 described herein with reference toFIG. 3 .

According to one embodiment, operations 810 through 830 may be performedindependently from and in parallel with operation 370 described hereinwith reference to FIG. 3 . That is, operations 810 through 830 may beperformed while an image with the second resolution is being output tothe user.

In operation 810, an electronic device 200 may determine at least onetarget detailed-image tile among a plurality of detailed image tilescorresponding to the target basic-image tile when a virtual camera zoomsin on the target basic-image tile. For example, the electronic device200 may determine, as a target detailed-image tile, a detailed imagetile corresponding to a direction at which the user is looking via thevirtual camera among the plurality of detailed image tiles on the basisof a coordinate, a viewpoint, and an internal parameter of the virtualcamera.

In operation 820, the electronic device 200 may send information aboutthe target detailed-image tile to a server. As an image being output hasa second resolution, the user is likely to additionally zoom in to viewin detail a scene at which the user is looking (or which is beingoutput). In practice, when the electronic device 200 transmitsinformation on the target detailed-image tile to the server after theuser additionally zooms in, a delay may occur until an image with ahigher resolution is provided to the user. To prevent such a delay, theelectronic device 200 may transmit information on the targetdetailed-image tile to the server, and receive additional-detailed imagetiles with a third resolution corresponding to the target detail imagetile before the user additionally zooms in.

In operation 830, the electronic device 200 may receive the plurality ofadditional-detailed image tiles with the third resolution correspondingto the target detailed-image tile from the server. The third resolutionmay be higher than the second resolution.

In operation 840, the electronic device 200 may output an image with thethird resolution based on the plurality of additional-detailed imagetiles previously received from the server when the virtual cameraadditionally zooms in on the target detailed-image tile.

According to one aspect, the electronic device 200 may render a scene ofa graphic space corresponding to an additionally-zoomed-in viewpoint ofthe virtual camera to generate the image with the third resolution, andoutput the generated image to the user via a display of the electronicdevice 200. Since the image with the third resolution is generated andoutput based on the plurality of pre-received additional-detailed imagetiles before the virtual camera further zooms in, the delay inoutputting the image felt by the user may be significantly reduced.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method of transmitting information on atarget basic-image tile according to an example.

According to one embodiment, operation 350 described herein withreference to FIG. 3 may include following operations 910 and 920.

In operation 910, an electronic device 200 may determine whether aplurality of detailed image tiles with a second resolution correspondingto a target basic-image tile is stored. For example, the plurality ofdetailed image tiles with the second resolution corresponding to thetarget basic-image tile previously received from a server may be storedin the electronic device 200 as a user looks at the prior targetbasic-image tile via a virtual camera.

In operation 920, the electronic device 200 may send information aboutthe target basic-image tile to the sever when the plurality of detailedimage tiles with the second resolution corresponding to the targetbasic-image tile is not stored in the electronic device 200.

When the plurality of detailed image tiles with the second resolutioncorresponding to the target basic-image tile remain stored in theelectronic device 200, operation 370 may be performed immediatelybecause there is no need to receive the plurality of detailed imagetiles again from the server.

The device described herein may be embodied in hardware components,software components, and/or a combination thereof. For example, thedevice and components described in the example embodiments may beembodied using one or more general-purpose or special-purpose computers,such as, for example, a processor, a controller, an Arithmetic LogicUnit (ALU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a FieldProgrammable Array (FPA), a Programmable Logic Unit (PLU), amicroprocessor, or any other device that may perform and respond toinstructions. A processing device may perform in an operating system(OS) and one or more software applications performed in the operatingsystem. Further, the processing device may access, store, manipulate,process, and generate data in response to the performance of software.For ease of understanding, there are some cases describing that a singleprocessing device is used but those with ordinary skill in the artappreciate that the processing device may include a plurality ofprocessing elements and/or a plurality of types of processing elements.For example, the processing device may include a plurality ofprocessors, or one processor and one controller. Other processingconfigurations, such as a parallel processor, are also available.

Software may include a computer program, a code, an instruction, or acombination of one or more thereof, configure an processing device orindependently or collectively command the processing device to operateas desired. In order to be interpreted by the processing device, and toprovide the processing device with a command or data, the softwareand/or data may be permanently or temporarily embodied in any type ofmachines, components, physical devices, virtual equipment, computerstorage medium or devices, or transmitted signal waves. The software maybe distributed over a computer system coupled to a network, to be storedor performed in a distributed fashion. The software and data may bestored in one or more non-transitory computer-readable media.

A method according to an embodiment may be embodied in a program commandform that may be performed through various computer means and recordedon a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include,alone or in combination with program instructions, data files, datastructures, and the like. The program instructions recorded on themedium may be specially designed and configured for example embodiments,or may be well known to those skilled in the art of computer software.Examples of the non-transitory computer-readable media may include, butare not limited to, magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks andmagnetic tapes, optical media such as CD ROMs and DVDs, magneto-opticalmedia such as floptical disks, and hardware devices specially configuredto store and perform program instructions such as ROM, RAM, flashmemory, and the like. Examples of the program instructions includemachine code such as those created by a compiler, and high-levellanguage codes that may be performed by a computer using an interpreteror the like. The hardware device described herein may be configured tooperate as one or more software modules to perform the operation of theembodiments herein, and vice versa.

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure are described withreference to the exemplary embodiments, those of ordinary skill in theart may make various modifications and variations therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Forexample, any suitable result may be achieved even if the describedtechnology is performed in a different order from the one describedherein, and/or described components, such as systems, structures,devices, circuits, etc., are combined or compounded in a form differentfrom the one described herein, or replaced or substituted with thoseother than the components described herein or equivalent hereto.

Accordingly, other implementations, embodiments, and those equivalent tothe scope of the claims herein belong to the scope of the claims herein.

The components described in the example embodiments may be implementedby hardware components including, for example, at least one digitalsignal processor (DSP), a processor, a controller, anapplication-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logicelement, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), otherelectronic devices, or combinations thereof. At least some of thefunctions or the processes described in the example embodiments may beimplemented by software, and the software may be recorded on a recordingmedium. The components, the functions, and the processes described inthe example embodiments may be implemented by a combination of hardwareand software.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image output method performed by an electronicdevice, the image output method comprising: loading a plurality of basicimage tiles with a first resolution, the plurality of basic image tileswith the first resolution being preset for a graphic space set based ona virtual coordinate system; setting a coordinate of a virtual camera onthe virtual coordinate system; determining at least one targetbasic-image tile among the plurality of basic image tiles based on thecoordinate of the virtual camera; transmitting information on the targetbasic-image tile to a server; receiving a plurality of detailed imagetiles with a second resolution corresponding to the target basic-imagetile from the server; and outputting an image with the second resolutionbased on the plurality of detailed image tiles when the virtual camerazooms in on the target basic-image tile.
 2. The image output method ofclaim 1, wherein the determining of the at least one target basic-imagetile among the plurality of basic image tiles based on the coordinate ofthe virtual camera comprises: determining a viewpoint of the virtualcamera based on the coordinate of the virtual camera; calculatingfrustum information on the viewpoint of the virtual camera; anddetermining at least one target basic-image tile among the plurality ofbasic image tiles based on the frustum information.
 3. The image outputmethod of claim 2, further comprising outputting an image with the firstresolution based on the frustum information and the target basic-imagetile.
 4. The image output method of claim 2, wherein the determining ofthe viewpoint of the virtual camera based on the coordinate of thevirtual camera comprises: changing the coordinate of the virtual camerabased on a user's input to the electronic device; and determining aviewpoint of the virtual camera based on the changed coordinate of thevirtual camera.
 5. The image output method of claim 1, furthercomprising: determining at least one target detailed-image tile amongthe plurality of detailed image tiles when the virtual camera zooms inon the target basic-image tile; transmitting information on the targetdetailed-image tile to the server; and receiving from the server aplurality of additional-detailed image tiles with a third resolutioncorresponding to the target detailed-image tile.
 6. The image outputmethod of claim 5, further comprising: outputting an image with thethird resolution based on the plurality of additional-detailed imagetiles when the virtual camera zooms in on the target detailed-imagetile.
 7. The image output method of claim 1, wherein the determining ofthe at least one target basic-image tile among the plurality of basicimage tiles based on the coordinate of the virtual camera comprisesre-determining at least one target basic-image tile among the pluralityof basic image tiles based on the changed coordinate of the virtualcamera or the viewpoint of the virtual camera when the coordinate of thevirtual camera or the viewpoint of the virtual camera is changed.
 8. Theimage output method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of theinformation on the target basic-image tile to a server comprises:determining whether the plurality of detailed image tiles with thesecond resolution corresponding to the target basic-image tile isstored; and transmitting information on the target basic-image tile tothe server when the plurality of detailed image tiles with the secondresolution is not stored.
 9. A non-transitory computer-readable mediumcomprising computer readable instructions to cause a computer to performthe method of claim
 1. 10. An electronic device for performing an imageoutput method, the electronic device comprising: a memory in which aprogram for outputting an image is recorded; and a processor configuredto perform the program wherein the program is configured to perform:loading a plurality of basic image tiles with a first resolution beingpreset for a graphic space set based on a virtual coordinate system;setting a coordinate of a virtual camera on the virtual coordinatesystem; determining at least one target basic-image tile among theplurality of basic image tiles based on the coordinate of the virtualcamera; transmitting information on the target basic-image tile to aserver; receiving a plurality of detailed image tiles with a secondresolution corresponding to the target basic-image tile from the server;and outputting an image with the second resolution based on theplurality of detailed image tiles when the virtual camera zooms in onthe target basic-image tile.
 11. An image output method performed by asystem for outputting an image to a user, the image output methodcomprising: loading, by a user's terminal of the system, a plurality ofbasic image tiles with a first resolution, the plurality of basic imagetiles being preset for a graphic space set based on a virtual coordinatesystem; setting, by the user's terminal, a coordinate of a virtualcamera on the virtual coordinate system; determining, by the user'sterminal, at least one target basic-image tile among the plurality ofbasic image tiles based on the coordinate of the virtual camera;transmitting, by the user's terminal, information on the targetbasic-image tile to a server of the system; receiving, by the user'sterminal, a plurality of detailed image tiles with a second resolutioncorresponding to the target basic-image tile from the server; andoutputting an image with the second resolution based on the plurality ofdetailed image tiles when the virtual camera zooms in on the targetbasic-image tile.